Unprofessional behaviour photographers.

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paul cull-pearce

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Many know that I am not working in the field of photography as my full-time job but most weekends I try to get out on a horse trial meeting and get some photos.

Today I went to a small event in Cheshire. I know the rules and I know not to stand in silly places, safety first and all that. I do not actively sell my work and I always look to see if there is an event photographer there.

I starting taking some pictures as you do, about 10 mins of shooting the official photographer ran over and approached me and he was right in my face. Which I didn’t like.
Then he started whining about me being at the event and taking photos. I told him that, "I paid to get in here and I am going to shoot some photos".

He started being rude which was uncalled for and he had an unprofessional behaviour, which I told him this ! :razz:


This brought a puzzled look to his face as I explained I lived not far and was just out practicing. He questioned if I was out there selling. I said NO.
He told me, "you know you cannot go on the by any of the jumps and you better not hand out any of your business cards". I explained I knew the rules and had no plans to sell or even approach a rider.

I handed him my business card and told him to check out my website and he would see I was not posting any of the photographs on my site.

I know he is trying to make a living, but he was uncalled for and was rude. Even a rider going past said he was out of order ! :nono:

In the end, I just walked away and carried on shooting.:naughty:

Has anybody had a problem with another photographer ?
 
You should have reported him to the event organiser. You've paid good money to be at the event and as part of that admission you should be allowed to access any area of the arena to which the public have the right of access.

If there was a clause in your entry that prevented you from photographing the action, then fair play he had a point, if not he's been way too precious and needs to be brought back down to earth.

A good stiff complaint to the organiser might be enough to get him a polite word for his attitude.
 
Bet you feel like setting up in competition now to spite him :)
 
paul cull-pearce said:
Has anybody had a problem with another photographer ?
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Only once. I shot an event where a guy often attends. He wasn't there that day and I handed out cards, if he had been there I wouldn't have. I subsequently got a call from him for pushing in on his patch :(
 
Fortunately no, but there's always one. From what I understand equestrian is a tough field to make money in so I'd cut him a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit of slack for that but here's the thing - if you had been a pro what right did he have to behave like that anyway? I know magazines/papers are causing problems for pros by taking photos off spectators for free but if their market it drying up they need to find/create a new one or an angle on the existing one - all part of being freelance.

At the polo I shot last Sunday one of the spectators came up with a 20D and 400 f/5.6 and we chatted for 10mins about lenses and shooting technique. Now I wasn't there to shoot the action (though I did anyway) but even if I had of been I wouldn't like to think I would have reacted any differently towards the spectator.
 
I've never been approached but if I was I would be very tempted if the person was trying to see if i was looking to "steal" business that he(or she :P) had better hope they can take better pictures than me.

I think for a photographer to do that they have to be very insecure about their work personally, I've been approached by other photographers at motorsport events enquiring if i've signed on but thats more from a safety point of view as I was actually down at the track on an even were spectators are kept off the center of the track.
 
At the end of the day it all comes down to the quality of the photographs. I have seen too many 'pro' photographs look like merge amateur/novice peices of work. Many a time I have been approached by a 'pro' complaining that they are "gong to miss out on sales" with me taking photographs. If they are so 'pro' then surely they can deliver the goods and not have to worry about others taking photographs.

Unfortunately for me I have a short temper and sooner tell them to f' off. Gets tiring on a weekly basis though.

King.
 
I'd have told him I was an inspector for the Federation of Professional Photographers checking out complaints of unprofessional behaviour, and taken his picture as evidence! :)
 
Steep said:
I'd have told him I was an inspector for the Federation of Professional Photographers checking out complaints of unprofessional behaviour, and taken his picture as evidence! :)
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:lol::lol:
 
i dont think i would have been so patient. I simply and curt reply would have been all the change he got out of me...as said already, hes being paid to shoot, if hes good enough he will sell em, wont he?
 
What a waste of a good business card!! :lol:

I would definitely not have been even slightly polite to him & certainly wouldn't have cut him any slack - you paid to get into the event, & are as entitled to take pics as the mother using her point & shoot to take pics of her kid competing - he didn't approach her though did he?

You informed him that you were not there to compete & knew the rules - that should have been more than enough to shut him up.
I will not question his being nervous about you being there & wanting to ensure that you were not going to undermine his "official photog" capacity but the attitude was bang out of order & he would have been sent packing if it had of been me (I would have complained to the organisers too but then I don't like impolite people)
 
Shouldn't he have been taking pretty pictures of the event if he was 'official photographer' rather than bothering, and trying to spoil things, for someone out to enjoy their day ... :suspect: ... perhaps someone needs to remind him and comment on the fact that he has obviously got an inferiority complex (about his abilities probably) ... :D


Rudeness cuts no slack at anytime imgo ... best to cut them dead tell them what you are going to do and then report them to the event organiser as the best option ... :shrug:


Did he not give you his business card in exchange then ... :lol:



:p
 
only a 'pro' with questionable ability would act in such a way towards anyone else carrying a camera. if they're at all insecure about the shots they're getting or how good (crap) they are then they probably go way over the top at anyone appearing 'on their patch'. its quite uncalled for. I've been to events where there's a pro but never been accosted in the way described here - actually on chatty terms with a couple I've met which is nice.
In this situation I think I'd have clubbed him one with the 1d/70-200 combo and put him in his place with the organisers. its like trying to stop people shooting at the regattas I attend...good luck I say! what a moron
 
You should have complained to the organisers, got friendly with them, slipped them a business card and portfolio, then nicked his job :lol:
 
Brains said:
Does anyone find that having a 'better/bigger' camera has this effect?
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Absolutely! Unless, as already mentioned, the photog can actually be classed as a photographer, is confident in their own abilities & knows that they'll get the shots regardless of the equipment used.
Confidence is another thing guaranteed to make a nervous photog even more edgy.

*Lol* Marcel, great plan
 
Equine photography is quite cut throat. I had a similar problem at an equine event when I had been booked as the photographer. What the organiser failed to tell me was she had booked two photographers as it was such a big event.

The other photographer was a right royal pain in the rear and I nearly lost my rag with him. After 15 mins of listening to him I explained I had taken over 20 pictures against his zero and he was already losing money! At that point his commercial sense won over and he went on his way.

I was not too pleased with the organisers but I still managed to turn over a very healthy profit. Infact my 11 year old came along and took some great stuff with the D50 whilst I was using the D200.

The event organiser is responsible for safety and it is not down to some jumped up insecure tog to try and point you in the direction he wants you to go!
 
In the world of irish rallying over here most of the togs i've spoken to at events are really nice and helpfull. Quite a few of them would let you use their lenses too.

It's alot friendlier than other forms of sport photography quite often the photographers go around in packs sharing their knowledge of good corners/jumps/sections, I've been invited to tag along with some of them before too when covering events to give me help/advice. (I really should take some of them up on that offer)
 
I took my 350d to a wedding on Fri, and was nervous about what the "official" tog would think, but in the end it turned out he was a friend of the couple's using a Canon EOS film camera.. Got chatting to him and I inspired him to get a DSLR (he'd been looking for ages but needed a kick lol).
He's actually using some of my pics for the wedding album, as he had focus probs at times - RESULT!
 
My first thoughts on reading this was that he perhaps isn't that good at taken photos, and maybe has more misses than hits.

I've been going places (events and other) where there are other more professional (and established) photographers than me, and there is never any problem. In fact everyone seems to get on well until there is action to be photographed, where we just get on with our job.
 
He could be a really good photographer with a really BAD attitude.:lol:
 
I had one guy at a local rally the once on a very sunny day who had on a homemade press vest and telling me all about how many pictures he sells and to whom, and that I should not be stood where I was, you know, one of those really annoying types who know everything! I tend to keep quiet to these people in the hope that they will get bored with my lack of conversation and disappear, but then I noticed him change the ISO on his camera to 800, so I asked what iso should I be using for such a bright day (after all, this guys knows all) to which he replied "never you mind you amature" and then muttered something about sexual interference with camera. Now I would normally ignore such things and go off on my way, but this idiot really annoyed me.

I put on my own vest, informed him that I was the official photographer for this event (it was only a small local one, but thats not the point) and after calling a marshal over to ask for this guys press pass, to which he could not provide, he was then escorted to one of the spectator area's.... if looks could kill.

Now I know this makes me look like one of the previously mentioned photographers with bad attitudes, but mine is in self defence :)
 
Two words, the second being 'off' would have been my reply.

Or maybe a Hot Fuzz style "Jog On"
 
namllihs said:
He could be a really good photographer with a really BAD attitude.:lol:
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doubtful...just not a nice person.
Brains said:
I was acting as a second tog at a wedding this weekend and the other 'pro' looked really insecure when I turned up. Does anyone find that having a 'better/bigger' camera has this effect? Obviously I was ever so polite and reassured them.
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yes and no, I pulled out the 1d and got spotted immediately but after a quick chat all was sweet, position was made quite clear that I wasn't there to step on toes and actually had a laugh with the pros there. I learnt alot - hope they enjoyed teaching?! :D
 
A couple of week ago at a family wedding I came across a very precious Wedding Photographer - very natty pin stripe suit and using a Canon digital a step or so above mine. When I arrived he gave a very good look at my gear, having checked I was not using the standard kit lens and had the Canon flash attached. He then set out to always be in front of where I was standing and I was always careful not to get anywhere near his lined up shots, taking from angles and making good use of the zoom range. I was told at one time to B...er off as I was making him nervous (this from 15ft + away). I hate to think what he would have thought if I had lugged the Bronica along! It turned out he was paid £1200 and still proofs hadn't appeared two week later. So far over 800 prints from my efforts have been sent round the family and requests for enlargements - (provided without charge) as it is my pleasure for my sister-in-law's tribe. None of these are from the set piece angles so I just hope he produces the goods. Surely when we do weddings, we get a fee for the shoot and set of photos and album and any extra prints are a bonus, not like the old days when a great proportion came from print sales. I know we have a problem as there is so little difference between the gear used and that carried by the guests, but if you are confident in what you are doing - let the rest have a go after your shot as long as they do not interfere with the set pieces that the bride and most importantly HER MOTHER wants. This guy has shot himself in the foot as there are more weddings coming up and it looks as if I wasn't the only one he managed to upset. I was happy to let him get on with it as he was single handed, but if he played his cards right I could have been helpful in getting groups organised having been there myself and knowing who was who. Thank God I now only do it for friends - not family if I can help it ! Sorry for the grumpy old man to let off steam - usually in the past have chatted with the booked pro as a fellow photographer and pointed out locations if I knew the venue well and rounded up lost relations for them - even sent the odd image freemans for them to include if it was something they failed to get - and seen them included in the album as I was not in competition.
 
Liberalis said:
I had one guy at a local rally the once on a very sunny day who had on a homemade press vest and telling me all about how many pictures he sells and to whom, and that I should not be stood where I was, you know, one of those really annoying types who know everything! I tend to keep quiet to these people in the hope that they will get bored with my lack of conversation and disappear, but then I noticed him change the ISO on his camera to 800, so I asked what iso should I be using for such a bright day (after all, this guys knows all) to which he replied "never you mind you amature" and then muttered something about sexual interference with camera. Now I would normally ignore such things and go off on my way, but this idiot really annoyed me.

I put on my own vest, informed him that I was the official photographer for this event (it was only a small local one, but thats not the point) and after calling a marshal over to ask for this guys press pass, to which he could not provide, he was then escorted to one of the spectator area's.... if looks could kill.

Now I know this makes me look like one of the previously mentioned photographers with bad attitudes, but mine is in self defence :)
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Entirely justified I thought :D I think everyone would like to be in a similar position with one of those kinds of people at least once in their lives. Fair play I say.
 
Never had a problem, in fact last year I was approached by one of them and a right good laugh, he helped me out with some settings and this chap has become a friend, we were stood together when the senior, senior pro came over and again we had some good banter, all happy :)
 
The only problems I have at snowboard events is other photogs getting in my frame, I'm always really careful to stay out of people's shots, I just wish other people were the same...
 
moomike said:
What a waste of a good business card!! :lol:

I would definitely not have been even slightly polite to him & certainly wouldn't have cut him any slack - you paid to get into the event, & are as entitled to take pics as the mother using her point & shoot to take pics of her kid competing - he didn't approach her though did he?
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Same here , a polite two words should've been used " F*** OFF "... Oh and you should've got his name so we can shuv it in his face on a few photo forums :lol:
 
Wow you handled that better than I would have! The guy sounds like he was very much out of order, I agree with Kosta, a quick Jog on would be what he got from me!
 
I've never had a problem with another photographer. In fact quite the opposite. I was at a wedding last October. I always made sure I was out the way of the official photog and let him fire of a few shots first before grabbing some candids.

We had a good chat in between locations and we even swapped cameras for a few shots. He was using a D2xs and I had a D80.
 
Interesting thread this one! It does amaze me, the hostility which seems to appear between togs. I understand that some may see the presence of another tog at an event that they are being paid to shoot could be seen as a threat but I really can't see what is wrong with a bit of competition - it's a free market after all.

It seems that the togs who get so upset and act like this are obviously scared that they will be revealed as the charlatans that they are and at some point they may have to accept that there is competition out there and soon they may not be able to continue ripping their clients off with their bloated prices, lack-lustre shots and extortionate print prices.

Something that winds me up is when you see their websites claiming years of experience and professional affiliation when their actual work looks awful.

That said it just doesn't bother me if other togs are around. If I'm doing my marketing properly and I get the best shots then I have nothing to worry about. If someone else with a bit of "gear" is getting better shots and making sales that could have been mine - then surely it's time to up my game?
 
I went to an outdoor equestrian event and got chatting to the official photographer on my way round, it was not someone I know but they were happy enough to talk between horses coming through. I think it depends very much on the individual - the one you saw was obviously not a particularly nice person - it would be interesting to see how good his pictures are from the riders point of view rather than a technical one!!
 
Liberalis said:
I put on my own vest, informed him that I was the official photographer for this event .... if looks could kill.

Now I know this makes me look like one of the previously mentioned photographers with bad attitudes, but mine is in self defence :)
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:lol: entirley justified IMHO
I love happy endings :thumbs:

I was at an equine "event" last year
My daughter was a sponsor of one class and a friend was riding in "most classes".
The official tog was obviously in the ring, using a camera of a higher price range and a black L lens.
I needed the extra reach being outside so I was using my trusty 400D
( at the time) and a 70-200L in white, for that extra reach.
I saw the on site tog looking at me on a few occasions, and was quite prepared to explain
why I was there but could never "get near him"
As the prize giving was about to start he went off at a pace and quickly retuned to the arena,
placing a white L lens on the judges table :D
The chances are, only him and I knew the significance of his action I smilled and nodded in acknowledgement
I Guess that just made matters worse :shrug: :D
Thats insecurity for you.
This still makes me grin everytime I remember it.
 
Kosta said:
Two words, the second being 'off' would have been my reply.

Or maybe a Hot Fuzz style "Jog On"
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I would not have been so blunt, but my reply would be in that context.


Now I have never had any problem with the Pro's. I have found them all very friendly when I've had dealings with them.

At an event recently I got talking to the pro and he invited my to join a team of photographers doing local event photography.
 
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